Sponsors and Collaborators

NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.

Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier. Life expectancy in the United States has jumped from 47 years in 1900 to 78 years as reported in 2009, and disability in people over age 65 has dropped dramatically in the past 3 decades. In recent years, nationwide rates of new diagnoses and deaths from all cancers combined have fallen significantly.

Visit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website to learn more.

ACL's National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is the federal government’s primary disability research organization. NIDILRR is part of the Administration for Community Living.  NIDILRR’s mission is to generate new knowledge and to promote its effective use to improve the abilities of individuals with disabilities to perform activities of their choice in the community, and to expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for its citizens with disabilities.

Visit the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) website to learn more.

The Administration for Community Living was created around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities.

By funding services and supports provided primarily by networks of community-based organizations, and with investments in research, education, and innovation, ACL helps make this principle a reality for millions of Americans.  

Visit the Administration for Community Living website to learn more.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)'s mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.  From the smart electric power grid and electronic health records to atomic clocks, advanced nanomaterials and computer chips, innumerable products and services rely in some way on technology, measurement and standards provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Visit the National Institute of Standards and Technology website to learn more.

VA’s Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated health care network in the United States, with 1,255 health care facilities serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.

Visit the US Department of Veteran's Affairs website to learn more.

The Rehabilitation Department of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System offers highly specialized and comprehensive AT services to Veterans with disabilities and associated functional limitations. Veterans are offered rehabilitation services including AT in person, in their own home environment, and/or via the VA’s secure VA Video Connect platform. 

The VA is eager to assist with the Wireless RERC on D1 Smart Home Service Delivery as one of the three different types of providers. The VA will also provide feedback on product performance to reflect their best practices and share lessons learned to help produce viable service models for smart home technologies to better support Veterans with disabilities. 

Visit VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System's AT Clinic's website to learn more.

Established in 1985, The ALS Association (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assn) is the only national nonprofit organization fighting ALS on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure.

Visit the ALS Association website to learn more.

A private, global research university, Carnegie Mellon stands among the world's most renowned educational institutions and sets its own course. 

Over the past 10 years, more than 400 startups linked to CMU have raised more than $7 billion in follow-on funding. Those investment numbers are especially high because of the sheer size of Pittsburgh’s growing autonomous vehicles cluster – including Uber, Aurora, Waymo and Motional – all of which are here because of their strong ties to CMU.

Visit the Carnegie Mellon University website to learn more.

Nationally recognized for our undergraduate research, UWM students get real-world experiences that shape their education and careers, such as paid internships, entrepreneurship programs and community-based classes and volunteer opportunities.

Visit the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee website to learn more.

Hello Robot believes mobile manipulators can enhance life for everyone, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities. 

To realize this potential, they are empowering a growing community of innovators to create the future. Their award-winning Stretch mobile manipulator is a friendly and capable platform for innovation that is inspiring new technologies, applications, and businesses.

Visit the Hello Robot : Open Source Mobile Manipulator for AI & Robotics (hello-robot.com) website to learn more.

ArcTouch was founded in 2009 in Silicon Valley at the dawn of the app revolution and quickly became a premier mobile developer in the United States.  Today, ArcTouch has over 350 dedicated professionals, and has created over 500 lovable apps, websites, and connected experiences for companies of all sizes. Their software is used by hundreds of millions of people every day. They are recognized worldwide for our expertise, attention to detail, client services, and the quality of our work.

Visit the ArcTouch - Lovable Apps, Websites, & Connected Experiences website to learn more.

United Spinal Association represents our nation’s 5.5 million wheelchair users. We proudly trace our roots to the paralyzed World War II vets who came home to an inaccessible nation and made it their new mission to create a fully inclusive society. We honor them by using today’s tools to directly provide top-notch service and resources to our members, chapters, and the broader disability community.

Visit the United Spinal Association website to learn more.

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of our members and all blind people in the United States. The NFB knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

Visit the National Federation of the Blind website to learn more.

Perkins helps children with disabilities find their place in the world. They are the worldwide leader in education services for children and young adults with disabilities and believe every child can learn and learning is for life.  Around the globe, in over 95 countries, Perkins-trained educators are reaching children at risk of being left behind. 

Visit the Perkins School For The Blind website to learn more.

WID is dedicated to designing, building, and supporting whole community solutions by removing barriers to include people with disabilities.  Their mission is, on a global scale, to continuously advance the rights and opportunities of more than one billion people with disabilities.  

To build a more inclusive global society, the World Institute on Disability (WID):

• Helps assure that products and services are more accessible
• Promotes equity policies
• Provides consulting services
• Offers training and tools
• Supports emergency, disaster, and climate efforts

Visit the World Institute on Disability website to learn more.

CLASS has provided 70 years of services to people with varying disabilities in a seven-county area through a variety of community programs including running the State AT Act programs and services.

CLASS's ATP could provide feedback on, assist in piloting with users, and ultimately use START (R3 Smart Speaker Training) to train clients on smart speaker use. CLASS will also help with any recruitment and dissemination activities in especially to other regional Centers for Independent Living.

Visit CLASS' website to learn more.

Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) is a statewide, non-profit organization that helps individuals with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians acquire the assistive technology devices and services they want. PATF is a state and federally-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and is the Commonwealth’s designated Alternative Financing Program (AFP) under the federal Assistive Technology Act. 

Visit the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation website to learn more.

The mission of CAT is to enhance the ability of people with disabilities to fulfill life goals through the coordination and provision of appropriate assistive technology services.  

The services of the CAT are very comprehensive and include, but are not limited to: wheelchairs, seating, hearing devices, computer access, driving aids, home/worksite modifications, ECUs, and AAC. The Center has grown each year of operation and currently provides service to 1500+ clients annually.  

In addition, the CAT provides most of the AT services for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) for Western Pennsylvania, via a contract between the Commonwealth and the CAT. This relationship with the Commonwealth guarantees interaction with OVR and other state agencies involved in the rehabilitation and reintegration of people with disabilities into society. 

CAT is happy to assist with D1 Smart Home Service Delivery as one of the three different types of providers as well as with dissemination activities.

Visit the CAT's website to learn more.

3i Housing of Maine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to create Independent community based living options for adults with disabilities through Innovative affordable housing and Integrated support services. 3i Housing of Maine is in the design phase of their initial project — a 50 unit apartment complex for adults with mobility impairments. They hope to begin construction in 2023 and open the doors in 2024. 3i Housing of Maine is partnering with the Wireless RERC to evaluate the needs of tenants and custom-design smart home technology as assistive technology in their apartments.

3i Housing of Maine's unique housing model will provide opportunities for socialization and peer support leading to an improved quality of life. This fully accessible residential building will be located near transportation, employment, shopping, and services. Mixed income residents will be able to live independently, while managing their own lives with the support of community services.

Visit 3i Housing of Maine's website to learn more.

Since 2011, Team Gleason, founded by Steve Gleason, has provided over $50 million in adventure, technology, equipment, and care services to people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and countless others through advocacy, support and ultimately bringing an end to the disease.

Visit Team Gleason's website to learn more.